#China Lunar Exploration Program

[elbiotipo]

I think SpaceX, engineering wise, is doing awesome work, but not under Musk and the demands of the US space program which are completely nonsensical. Having a gigantic Starship as a lunar lander to be "ready" in like 3 years is completely insane given that all Starships have done so far is blow up. I understand it's a very "physical" way of testing things, after all, car manufacturers do crash cars to test them they don't just test them virtually, but it does not generate confidedence that thing can carry humans.

Neither is NASA doing well as a whole, which is sucked dry by the military-industrial complex so they can only launch one absurdly powerful useless rocket every five years.

Neither of them are doing space exploration any favors lately (don't even ask about Roscosmos). SpaceX has a great engineering idea for it, but it's under the corporate rule of Musk and the mandates of the US goverment. It's not going to end too well if it keeps like that.

China is doing alright though.

#no solamente creo que la base espacial china está bien sino que deberíamos tener más #cosas mias #I'm talking in an 'existing conditions' scenario of course #ideally we would have an international space program financed by all the bullshit we waste as a civilization in bombs and shit

[nikproxima]

MTV initial study, done by Marshall Space Flight Center, by Max

Revised conceptual study for MTV, circa 1982 design freeze, by Max

MTV Minerva being serviced prior to departure on an Olympus mission, as well as OV-106 Intrepid, by Jay

The Olympus Mars Transfer Vehicle was something of a miracle of science and engineering, and showcased some of the greatest cooperation for the entire program as a whole. As important as landing on the surface of Mars is, getting to Mars is a whole different half of the equation, and ensuring that the right equipment would do the job was part of the uphill battle for the program. In the beginning of the design process, it was unclear whether or not the architecture would be chemical, nuclear, or some sort of strange combination of the two. Highly experimental solar electric or even nuclear electric proposals had been thrown around, but it was unclear whether those would be ready in time for the projected late 1990s landing date. Initially, things were dire, as the Olympus Partners stared down the failures of General Atomics to produce a working Valkyrie engine, the key to a reusable nuclear architecture. Ultimately, Lockheed and Naval Reactors would succeed in flying their demonstrator, Way-Seeker, and secure the contract to produce the propulsion section. Boeing would lead the work on Habitat design, a radical new concept for inflatable modules that would enable much greater volume on a single launch. This inflatable habitat would be augmented by a Utility Node, also built by Boeing, and would contain the life support, air lock, and docking systems that would be utilized by ships visiting the MTV. Two Multi Purpose Mission Modules, built by Thales Aerospace, would join the MTV before a mission was due to depart, enabling greater habitable volume and delivering mission specific equipment for the intended landing site. The final component, the Earth Return Lifeboat, would ensure the safety of the crew if something were to go wrong. This capsule would be a large, Apollo CM derived vehicle built by Lockheed and Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (later Airbus), and could seat a crew of 8. 

The MTVs of the Olympus Fleet, Minerva, Prometheus, Hera and Selene, would do their duty well. Each would lead the way in pioneering new triumphs and bring comfort to the crew in times of hardship. They would shelter them from storms, and bring their crews home every time. Even during the disaster of Olympus 9, where all hope seemed lost, Hera gave her all to ensure that her crew would get home safely, sacrificing herself into the inky void of space to throw her passengers home. Towards the end of their usable lives, Minerva, Prometheus and Selene would see continued use supporting Destiny, shuttling cargo landers and crew to and from the lunar surface as infrastructure quickly spread. For the crew of Foundation, the outpost in Noctis, a fleet of new MTVs would emerge, chemical-electric, nuclear and even chemical "cargo sleds" that would push great volumes of equipment. The Americans would lead the charge with their radical Chem-NEP design, the Armstrong class. These would be fully reusable, and leverage design work being done since the start of the program. Japan and Canada would contribute heavily to the Armstrong Class, with logistics modules and robotic arms as their main gifts. Europe's largest contribution would be the Euro-Russian Copernicus Class, a nuclear thermal system based on work done by the Americans in the early days of Olympus. These would be smaller in crew complement but much larger in cargo volume, delivering great aeroshells to the surface. China would also deliver new vehicles, the fully solar-electric Tianzhou class, based on their earlier endeavors in asteroid exploration. These were strictly for cargo, and ensured that Chinese Taikonauts had seats onboard American or European MTVs. This fleet of MTVs would enable a continuous human presence on Mars in the low hundreds throughout the middle of the 21st century.

#proxima: a human exploration of mars #alternate history #science #space #space story #science fiction #alternate future #mars #mars transfer vehicle #NASA #spaceflight #story #worldbuilding

[esotericworld]

““Our astronauts will likely be able to go to the moon within 10 years,” Wu Weiran, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, said in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV earlier this week. Nuclear energy can address the lunar station’s long-term, high-power energy needs, he said…”

#moon #moon base #china

[jennymanrique]

James Webb is Just the Tip of the Iceberg in Space Exploration

The successful launch of the James Webb telescope in December reinvigorated excitement over the seemingly endless opportunities to expand our understanding of the universe. According to scientists, the next great endeavor is building a base on the moon.

That goal is part of the mission behind the Artemis 1 moon rocket, whose launch was again delayed due to Hurricane Ida now battering Florida’s coast.

“The mission is to make sure that traveling to the moon for humans for many days is safe,” said Alexandra de Castro, science and technology communicator at PASQAL, which designs quantum computing programs.

When it does launch Artemis 1 will carry human-size dummies fixed with detectors to determine the amount of radiation humans might be exposed to over longer periods of time on the moon. According to de Castro, Artemis Two’s launch — scheduled for May 2024 — will take four astronauts including possibly the first female astronaut to walk on the moon.

Castro spoke during a briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services looking at what lies ahead in space exploration.

“China and Russia are also collaborating on a lunar base,” noted de Castro, hinting at the potential for a new space race like the one that defined much of the Cold War following the Soviet Union’s launch of the Sputnik rocket in 1957.

In more recent years Russia had been collaborating with NASA on the International Space Station and was working with both NASA and the European Space Agency on the Gateway project, which aims to establish an orbital station around the moon. Food and other supplies were to be transported to the station using Russian-made modules that would ferry back and forth from Earth.

But Russia severed all cooperation immediately following its invasion of Ukraine, and has since turned to its ally in Beijing, de Castro stressed.

The last manned mission to the moon was Apollo 17 in 1972. The journey back then took 12 days and was fraught with potential danger given how little scientists understood about the risks of space travel.

“We now have a lot of information from the 20 years of experience with the International Space Station,” de Castro said, adding this next phase in humanity’s reach for the stars holds tremendous possibility in fields that extend well beyond space: from health care to communications, transportation, and climate change.

And then there is the question of extraterrestrial life.

Marcio Melendez is with the Space Telescope Science Institute (STSci) in Baltimore, Maryland and was part of the team that worked on Webb’s mirrors. “Three years ago, we only knew of one exoplanet,” planets orbiting stars outside our own solar system. “Now we have 5,000 exoplanets and many of them are earth-like.”

American astronomer Edwin Hubble’s discovery of the Andromeda Galaxy in 1924 dramatically reshaped our understanding of the universe, proving its expanse far beyond our own Milky Way. NASA has since placed over 90 telescopes into orbit hoping to further deepen our view of the cosmos.

That effort has led to the discovery of billions of stars and galaxies and has brought humanity closer than at any other point in history to answer some of our most perplexing and profound questions: where do we come from, how was the universe formed, and is there life outside our solar system?

“We need to think big and there is nothing bigger than the James Webb,” said Melendez. “Think about a telescope that is so sensitive that you can see the heat signature of a bumblebee on the moon.”

That sensitivity is due in part to Webb’s infrared optical technology, which must remain at an otherworldly temperature of below 7 kelvin, or roughly negative 500° Fahrenheit. Maintaining such frigid conditions — even in the vacuum of deep space — requires a massive, origami like sun visor that shields the telescope from the warming rays of the sun.

“Virtually every single image that we take with James Webb is a deep field,” meaning an image that peers into the blackness of space, explained Melendez. Each image, he adds, contains “hundreds of galaxies in the background,” making Webb something akin to a “time machine,” able to see light that has traveled billions of years stretching to the origins of the universe.

The telescope is also able to detect how planets and stars form and how galaxies interact.

“Webb is able to characterize the abundance of different molecules in the atmospheres of exoplanets,” which can help determine the presence of life, said STSci’s Nicole Arulanantham. “Now whether that life is intelligent, we don’t know.”

Arulanantham’s main area of research is the formation of stars and planets. With the Hubble Space Telescope, she and her team have been looking at how young stars use ultraviolet light in the process of planet formation. “This tells us how quickly the stars are growing,” she said.

With Webb, she and her team will now be able to determine the role that water plays in that process, explaining that molecules like hydrogen cyanide, an important carrier of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, essential to forming life on earth, can be seen with the telescope.

For de Castro, one of the greatest achievements in space exploration is right here on earth. The Artemis Accords are a series of bi-lateral agreements between nations participating in the Artemis program, bringing together scientists from around the globe as part of an effort to return humans to the moon.

“This is how science is done today,” she said. “It teaches us how to deal with one another.”

Originally published here

Want to read this piece in Spanish? Click here

#English #space exploration #moon landing #Artemis Accords #Hubble Telescope #james webb telescope #intelligent life #NASA #Moon Rocket #China #Russia #Andromeda Galaxy

[worldoffactsnow]

China’s Lunar Exploration Program lander Chang’e 5 has delivered the first real-time confirmation of water on the Moon. This is in the form of hydroxyl (OH), a minor but important constituent of water besides H2O; and like smoke is to fire, OH is proof of water.

#facts #fun facts #trivia #facts on facts #facts of life #did you know #fact #facts only #moon #water #space news #space facts #space #moon water #water on the moon #water bodies

[almostlucidthoughts]

NASA’s head warned that China may try to claim the Moon – two space scholars explain why that’s unlikely to happen

China and the U.S. both have big plans for the Moon, but there are a number of reasons why no country could actually claim ownership of any land there. 3dScultor/iStock via Getty Images

Svetla Ben-Itzhak

Air University

and

R. Lincoln Hines

Air University

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson recently expressed concerns over China’s aims in space, and in particular, that China would, in some way, claim ownership over the Moon and stop other countries from exploring it. In an interview with a German newspaper, Nelson cautioned, “We must be very concerned that China is landing on the Moon and saying: ‘It’s ours now and you stay out.‘” China immediately denounced the claims as a “lie”.

This spat between the administrator of NASA and Chinese government officials comes at a time when both nations are actively working on missions to the Moon – and China has not been shy about its lunar aspirations.

In 2019, China became the first country to land a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon. That same year, China and Russia announced joint plans to reach the South Pole of the Moon by 2026. And some Chinese officials and government documents have expressed intentions to build a permanent, crewed International Lunar Research Station by 2027.

There is big difference between China – or any state for that matter – setting up a lunar base and actually “taking over” the Moon. As two scholars who study space security and China’s space program, we believe that neither China nor any other nation is likely to take over the Moon in the near future. It is not only illegal, it is also technologically daunting – the costs of such an endeavor would be extremely high, while the potential payoffs would be uncertain.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed into law by the United Nations, seen here, says that the Moon cannot be claimed by any nation. Patrick Gruban/Flickr, CC BY-SA

China is limited by international space law

Legally, China cannot take over the Moon because it is against current international space law. The Outer Space Treaty, adopted in 1967 and signed by 134 countries, including China, explicitly states that “Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means” (Article II). Legal scholars have debated the exact meaning of “appropriation”, but under a literal interpretation, the treaty indicates that no country can take possession of the Moon and declare it an extension of its national aspirations and prerogatives. If China tried to do this, it would risk international condemnation and a potential international retaliatory response.

While no country can claim ownership of the Moon, Article I of the Outer Space Treaty allows any state to explore and use outer space and celestial bodies. China will not be the only visitor to the South Pole of the Moon in the near future. The U.S.-led Artemis Accords is a group of 20 countries that has plans to return humans to the Moon by 2025, which will include the establishment of a research station on the lunar surface and a supporting space station in orbit called the Gateway with a planned launch in November 2024.

Even if no country can legally claim sovereignty over the Moon, it is possible that China, or any other country, would attempt to gradually establish de facto control over strategically important areas through a strategy known as “salami slicing.” This practice involves taking small, incremental steps to achieve a big change: Individually, those steps do not warrant a strong response, but their cumulative effect adds up to significant developments and increased control. China has recently been using this strategy in the South and East China seas. Still, such a strategy takes time and can be addressed.

Controlling the Moon is difficult

With a surface area of nearly 14.6 million square miles (39 million square kilometers) – or almost five times the area of Australia – any control of the Moon would be temporary and localized.

More plausibly, China could attempt to secure control of specific lunar areas that are strategically valuable, such as lunar craters with higher concentrations of water ice. Ice on the Moon is important because it will provide water to humans that wouldn’t need to be shipped from Earth. Ice can also serve as a vital source of oxygen and hydrogen, which could be used as rocket fuel. In short, water ice is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability and survivability of any mission to the Moon or beyond.

Securing and enforcing control of strategic lunar areas would require substantial financial investments and long-term efforts. And no country could do this without everyone noticing.

Does China have the resources and capabilities?

China is investing heavily in space. In 2021, it led in number of orbital launches with a total of 55 compared to the U.S.’s 51. China is also in the top three in spacecraft deployment for 2021. China’s state-owned StarNet space company is planning a megaconstellation of 12,992 satellites, and the country has nearly finished building the Tiangong space station.

Going to the Moon is expensive; “taking over” the Moon would be much more so. China’s space budget – an estimated US$13 billion in 2020 – is only around half that of NASA’s. Both the U.S. and China increased their space budgets in 2020, the U.S. by 5.6% and China by 17.1% compared to the previous year. But even with the increased spending, China does not seem to be investing the money needed to carry out the expensive, daring and uncertain mission of “taking over” the Moon.

If China assumes control over some part of the moon, it would be a risky, expensive and extremely provocative action. China would risk further tarnishing its international image by breaking international law, and it may invite retaliation. All this for uncertain payoffs that remain to be determined.

Svetla Ben-Itzhak, Assistant Professor of Space and International Relations, Air University and R. Lincoln Hines, Assistant Professor, West Space Seminar, Air University, Air University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

#moon #space exploration

[xtruss]

Chinese Academy of Sciences: China Publishes World's First High-definition Lunar Geologic Atlas

— April 22, 2024 | Global Times

China Sunday released a set of geologic atlas of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration. This photo shows the set of Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe. Chinese Academy of Sciences/Handout via Xinhua

China on Sunday released a geologic atlas set of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration.

This geologic atlas set, available in both Chinese and English, includes the Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe and the Map Quadrangles of the Geologic Atlas of the Moon, according to the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

"The geologic atlas of the moon is of great significance for studying the evolution of the moon, selecting the site for a future lunar research station and utilizing lunar resources. It can also help us better understand the Earth and other planets in the solar system, such as Mars," said Ouyang Ziyuan, who is a CAS academician and a well-known lunar scientist.

"The world has witnessed significant progress in the field of lunar exploration and scientific research over the past decades, which have greatly improved our understanding of the moon. However, the lunar geologic maps published during the Apollo era have not been changed for about half a century, and are still being used for lunar geological research. With the improvements of lunar geologic studies, those old maps can no longer meet the needs of future scientific research and lunar exploration," said Liu Jianzhong, a senior researcher from the Institute of Geochemistry of the CAS.

Since 2012, Ouyang Ziyuan and Liu Jianzhong have led a team of scientists and cartographers from relevant research institutions in compiling this atlas.

With a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the origin and evolution of the moon, the team compiled the atlas based on scientific exploration data gained from China's Chang'e lunar exploration program and other research results from both Chinese and international missions, Liu said.

This atlas set not only provides basic data and scientific references for the formulation and implementation of scientific goals in China's lunar exploration program, but also fills the blank in China's compilation of geologic maps of the moon and planets, contributing to the study of the origin and evolution of the moon and the solar system, Liu said.

Based on the perspective of lunar dynamic evolution, Chinese researchers creatively established an updated lunar geological time scale, objectively depicting the geological evolution of the moon, and clearly showing the characteristics of lunar tectonic and magmatic evolution.

A total of 12,341 impact craters, 81 impact basins, 17 types of lithologies and 14 types of structures all over the moon are mapped in the atlas.

This atlas set has been integrated into the digital lunar cloud platform built by Chinese scientists, and will serve lunar scientific research, science education, as well as landing site selection, lunar resource exploration and path planning for China's future lunar exploration projects, Liu said.

He mentioned that China's upcoming Chang'e-6 mission is expected to collect samples in the Apollo Basin within the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon, which means materials ejected from ancient terrain may be collected in the process. "Our map can provide a macroscopic geologic background to improve the purpose and efficiency of the sample research," Liu explained.

The compilation of this map was an immense task, which required the organization and cooperation of many well-informed researchers over many years to be able to achieve a consistent and complete result, commented Gregory Michael, a senior scientist from the Free University of Berlin in Germany.

"This map, in particular, is the first on a global scale to utilize all of the post-Apollo era data. It builds on the achievements of the international community over the last decades, as well as on China's own highly successful Chang'e program. It will be a starting point for every new question of lunar geology, and become a primary resource for researchers studying lunar processes of all kinds," Michael added.

China Sunday released a set of geologic atlas of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration. This page is the Geologic Map of the Moon. Chinese Academy of Sciences/Handout via Xinhuab

China Sunday released a set of geologic atlas of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration. This page is the Lithologic Map of the Moon. Chinese Academy of Sciences/Handout via Xinhua

China Sunday released a set of geologic atlas of the global moon with a scale of 1:2.5 million, which is the first complete high-definition lunar geologic atlas in the world, providing basic map data for future lunar research and exploration. This page is the Tectonic Map of the Moon. Chinese Academy of Sciences/Handout via Xinhua

#Chinese Academy of Sciences #World’s 🌎 First ​High Definition | Lunar Geologic Atlas

[spacetodaypt]

China's Relay Satellite is in Lunar Orbit

On March 20th, China’s Queqiao-2 (“Magpie Bridge-2”) satellite launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site LC-2 on the island of Hainan (in southern China) atop a Long March-8 Y3 carrier rocket. This mission is the second in a series of communications relay and radio astronomy satellites designed to support the fourth phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (Chang’e). On March 24th, after…

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[jeffinstitute]

What Countries have Landed on the Moon

What countries have landed on the moon ? In the vast expanse of space exploration, landing on the moon stands as a monumental achievement for humankind. Over the years, several countries have ventured into the cosmos to leave their mark on the lunar surface. This SEO-optimized long-form article takes you on a journey through the nations that have successfully landed on the moon, unraveling the cosmic feats that shaped our understanding of the universe.

1. United States - The Trailblazers

Setting the Stage: Apollo Missions The United States takes center stage as the pioneer in lunar exploration. The iconic Apollo missions, led by NASA, saw astronauts like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the moon during Apollo 11 in 1969. This historic achievement marked the first human steps on the lunar surface, solidifying the U.S. as a space exploration powerhouse.

2. Soviet Union - The Early Triumphs

Luna Program: A Soviet Saga Before the United States, the Soviet Union made significant strides with its Luna program. In 1959, Luna 2 became the first spacecraft to reach the moon, making the Soviet Union the first to impact the lunar surface. Subsequent missions, like Luna 9 in 1966, achieved the first successful soft landing and transmitted images from the moon.

3. China - A Rising Lunar Power

Chang'e Missions: A New Era In the 21st century, China emerged as a formidable player in lunar exploration. The Chang'e missions, named after the Chinese moon goddess, have made substantial contributions. Chang'e-3 in 2013 achieved the first soft landing since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976, showcasing China's advancements in space technology.

4. India - Chandrayaan Chronicles

Chandrayaan Missions: Indian Aspirations India, too, has left its mark on the moon with the Chandrayaan missions. Launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Chandrayaan-2 in 2019 aimed for the lunar south pole, showcasing India's commitment to exploring uncharted territories on the moon.

5 Japan - Smart Lander

Moon (Slim) missions: Japanese space agency (Jaxa)

Although a Japanese robot has successfully landed on the Moon, the mission may only last a few hours due to issues with its solar power system. Near an equatorial crater, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) gently touched down on the lunar surface in January 2024. https://www.youtube.com/live/SU53KT6x4IQ?si=TDTh2MFMe1eIlkWF

Conclusion: What Countries Have Landed on the Moon

In conclusion, the moon, once an unattainable celestial body, has witnessed the footsteps of explorers from multiple nations. The United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India have each played pivotal roles in advancing lunar exploration. Their missions have not only expanded our understanding of the cosmos but have also set the stage for future lunar endeavors.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

- Have any other countries attempted moon landings besides the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India? - While these four nations have successfully landed on the moon, other countries, including Japan and European nations, have conducted missions to orbit the moon and explore its surface without performing manned landings. - Are there plans for future moon landings by other countries? - Yes, several countries, including the United States through NASA's Artemis program, Russia, and China, have ambitious plans for future moon landings. Collaborative efforts and international partnerships are also being explored for lunar exploration. - How many manned moon landings have occurred to date? - As of the latest information, there have been a total of six manned moon landings, all conducted by the United States during the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972. Read the full article

#countrieslandedonmoon #moonlanding #whatcountrieshavelandedonthemoon #whatshouldgovernmentsofdevelopingcountriesdotopromoteentrepreneurship?

[spacenutspod]

Japan has become the fifth nation to land a functioning robot on the moon, but the mission could fall short of complete success due to a problem with the lander’s power-generating solar cells.The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, was launched along with an X-ray space telescope called XRISM from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center in early September — and after weeks of in-space maneuvers, SLIM touched down today at 1520 GMT (10:20 a.m. ET Jan. 19, or 12:20 a.m. JST Jan. 20).The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency reported that the landing was successful. During a news briefing, Hiroshi Kuninaka, director general of JAXA’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, said the achievement marked “a major milestone” in Japan’s effort to send spacecraft to the moon, and eventually to Mars.Kuninaka said SLIM was able to communicate with Earth and respond to commands. “However, it seems that the solar cells are not generating electricity at this point in time,” he said. “And since we are not able to generate electricity, the operation is being done using batteries alone.”Mission controllers prioritized efforts to transmit the data stored on the lander back to Earth before the batteries ran out. SLIM was expected to lose power within hours if the solar panel problem couldn’t be fixed.Kuninaka said the problem could have arisen because the solar cells weren’t properly aligned toward the sun. “We are trying to analyze the data that we’re gathering at this point in time and analyzing the status,” he said.The lander was designed to make a precision touchdown near Shioli Crater, in a region of the moon not far from where the Apollo 11 and Apollo 16 landings took place more than 50 years ago. SLIM’s objective was to land within 100 meters (330 feet) of the targeted landing spot. The plan for an ultra-accurate moonshot explains why SLIM came to be called “Moon Sniper.” Kuninaka said mission managers would need “a little more time” to confirm how close SLIM came to the target.He also said two mini-rovers, known as LEV-1 and LEV-2, were successfully deployed during SLIM’s descent to the surface. LEV-1 is built to capture imagery and record temperature and radiation levels as it hops around the surface. LEV-2 has the shape of a deformable sphere, and is designed to roll around the surface to take pictures.“If LEV-1 and LEV-2 are functioning properly, then SLIM’s photos and images have been taken by LEV-1 and LEV-2. I believe such data is now being sent to us,” Kuninaka said.Despite the power problem, SLIM’s successful landing was a welcome development for JAXA’s space exploration program. It added Japan to a short list of countries that have guided robotic spacecraft to soft landings on the moon — a list that also includes the U.S., Russia, China and India.Other recent developments have demonstrated that putting a robot on the moon isn’t easy. This week, for example, Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander fell back to Earth after a propellant leak ruled out a moon landing. Last year, a different type of commercial lander — built by a Japanese startup called ispace — failed during its descent to the lunar surface. Russia’s Luna-25 mission also ended with a crash landing on the moon last year. In 2022, a Japanese mini-probe called Omotenashi failed to function after its deployment during NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission. And in 2019, the Israeli-built Beresheet moon probe failed to stick its landing.In contrast, India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander/rover mission and China’s Chang’e missions stand out as notable successes in the recent wave of moon exploration efforts.The post Japan’s Moon Lander Touches Down, But Power Problem Mars Its Mission appeared first on Universe Today.

#space #astronomy #news #science

[wikiuntamed]

On this day in Wikipedia: Wednesday, 3rd January

Welcome, ongi etorri, hoş geldiniz, benvenuto 🤗 What does @Wikipedia say about 3rd January through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?

3rd January 2023 🗓️ : Event - Jurong Bird Park Singapore's Jurong Bird Park permanently closes. "Jurong Bird Park was formerly an aviary and tourist attraction in Jurong, Singapore between 1971 and 2023. The largest such bird park in Asia, it covers an area of 0.2 square kilometres (49 acres) on the western slope of Jurong Hill, the highest point in the Jurong region. It was one of the parks..."

Image licensed under CC BY 2.0? by aamanatullah

3rd January 2019 🗓️ : Event - Chang'e 4 Chang'e 4 makes the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon, deploying the Yutu-2 lunar rover. "Chang'e 4 (; Chinese: 嫦娥四号; pinyin: Cháng'é Sìhào; lit. 'Chang'e No. 4') is a robotic spacecraft mission in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program of the CNSA. China achieved humanity's first soft landing on the far side of the Moon with its touchdown on 3 January 2019.A communication relay..."

Image licensed under CC BY 2.0? by CSNA/Siyu Zhang/Kevin M. Gill

3rd January 2014 🗓️ : Death - Phil Everly Phil Everly, American singer and guitarist (b. 1939) "Phillip Everly (January 19, 1939 – January 3, 2014) was an American musician, who was one half of the duo The Everly Brothers alongside his older brother Don. ..."

Image by Bruno of Hollywood

3rd January 1974 🗓️ : Birth - Todd Warriner Todd Warriner, Canadian ice hockey player "Todd Eaton Warriner (born January 3, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. Over the course of his career, Warriner played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Nashville Predators of the NHL. He also..."

3rd January 1924 🗓️ : Birth - André Franquin André Franquin, Belgian author and illustrator (d. 1997) "André Franquin (French: [fʁɑ̃kɛ̃]; 3 January 1924 – 5 January 1997) was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best-known creations are Gaston and Marsupilami. He also produced the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip from 1946 to 1968, a period seen by many as the series' golden age...."

Image licensed under CC0? by Fotopersbureau De Boer

3rd January 1819 🗓️ : Birth - Charles Piazzi Smyth Charles Piazzi Smyth, Italian-Scottish astronomer and academic (d. 1900) "Charles Piazzi Smyth (3 January 1819 – 21 February 1900) was an Italian-born British astronomer who was Astronomer Royal for Scotland from 1846 to 1888; he is known for many innovations in astronomy and, along with his wife Jessica Duncan Piazzi Smyth, his pyramidological and metrological studies..."

Image by John Faed

3rd January 🗓️ : Holiday - Christian feast day: Kuriakose Elias Chavara (Syro-Malabar Catholic Church) "Kuriakose Elias Chavara, CMI (10 February 1805 – 3 January 1871) was an Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic priest, religious, philosopher and social reformer. He is the first canonised Catholic male saint of Indian origin and a member of the Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic church. He was the..."

Image by zeitgenössischer Künstler

#OnThisDayInWikiHistory #WikiUntamed #WhereNext #GemsOfWikipedia

[eaukraine-eu]

In the coming days, the Japanese state may become one of the countries actively using outer space for scientific purposes. The day before, official Tokyo announced that its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) probe was successfully launched into orbit of the Earth’s natural satellite. It is assumed that the device will be on the Moon no later than January 20 next year. Thus, Japan will declare itself as a power capable of implementing the most daring space exploration projects. Representatives of the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA), who were directly involved in the development of the project, have already expressed confidence in this. The rocket with the SLIM module was launched from the Uchinoura spaceport on the island of Kyushu in the Pacific Ocean three months ago. The launch was broadcast live, and, according to some sources, more than 1.5 billion were able to watch it. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the action was celebrated almost as an event of national scale. It should be especially noted that the SLIM program is not the first project for the Agency. In November 2022, JAXA already tried to “land” the Omotenashi (Hospitality) probe, but communication with it was interrupted shortly after entering space due to problems with the batteries. According to some information, this happened as a result of general problems in the American carrier. “This time we used domestic production capacity,” the organization said in a statement. If the module successfully completes its preliminary mission and lands on the lunar surface with an accuracy of even 100 meters from its target, it will be able to begin exploring the northern part of the lunar Sea of Plenty, as well as search for possible underground minerals in the region. In addition, he will transmit the latest photographs of the ENS to the control center. However, this is not even important. “The current Japanese government needs to prove during its term that Japan, with its highly developed technologies, can take its rightful place in the system of space programs,” said American columnist William Connolly in a special commentary for EURO-ATLANTIC UKRAINE. “This will allow us to attract additional investment to the country, create new jobs, and most importantly, speak in international organizations on behalf of the Space Conquests Club.” Let us remind you that today this list is headed by the Russian Federation, the United States of America, the People's Republic of China and India. Last August, it was India that successfully landed its unmanned spacecraft on the Moon. Before this, the Russian Federation, the USA and the People's Republic of China succeeded in doing the same. The first Japanese astronaut is expected to set foot on the lunar surface in 2025. This could happen as part of the American manned Artemis mission.

[enterprisewired]

NASA’s Artemis III Moon Landing Unlikely by 2025, Report Predicts Delays to 2027

Report Highlights Challenges to NASA’s Artemis Program

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on Thursday projecting significant delays in NASA’s Artemis program, indicating that the first crewed moon landing, Artemis III, is unlikely to occur by 2025. Based on past trends, the report suggested potential setbacks that could push the mission to 2027 due to ongoing issues in developing the necessary human landing system and spacesuits.

Challenges Impacting the Artemis III Mission

While acknowledging progress in achieving key milestones, the GAO underscored several challenges persisting in the development of the human landing system and spacesuits. The complexity of human spaceflight poses significant hurdles, questioning the feasibility of accelerating the moon landing system’s development more than a year faster than the average for NASA’s major projects.

Potential Delay to 2027 Based on Past Project Timelines

Should the development pace align with the average timeline for major NASA projects, the GAO forecasted a probable occurrence of the Artemis III mission in early 2027, raising concerns about meeting the initial 2025 target.

Official Timeline and Potential Alterations

While the late 2025 timeframe remains the official launch target for Artemis III, NASA has hinted at the possibility of reconsidering the flight schedule. However, the agency has not formally announced any alterations to the mission plan yet.

Artemis Program Goals and Competition

The Artemis program aims to mark a significant milestone, returning astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972’s Apollo program. This initiative positions NASA ahead of China’s planned lunar landing by the 2030 timeframe.

Technical Details and Challenges in the Artemis III Mission

The mission involves using Lockheed Martin-built Orion capsules launched atop the Space Launch System, intending to rendezvous with SpaceX’s Starship rocket, also known as the Human Landing System (HLS). However, technical complexities and developmental challenges have hindered progress.

SpaceX’s Role and Technological Hurdles

SpaceX’s HLS, a variant of its Starship upper stage, faces technical complexities in storing and transferring propellants in orbit, a critical aspect of the lunar landing mission. Limited progress and challenges in technology maturation pose significant hurdles to achieving the mission’s objectives.

Spacesuit Development and Associated Obstacles

Axiom Space, entrusted with designing new spacesuits for the mission, confronts multiple challenges, including addressing supply chain issues and meeting stringent NASA requirements, such as an hour-long emergency oxygen supply. These challenges might necessitate redesigns, potentially delaying suit delivery for the mission.

The intricate technical and developmental hurdles facing NASA’s Artemis III mission present significant roadblocks, potentially delaying the historic lunar landing well beyond the initial timeline.

Curious to learn more? Explore our articles on Enterprise Wired

#ArtemisProgram #MoonLanding #SpaceExploration #NASA #SpaceNews #ArtemisIII #SpaceChallenges #GAOReport

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 10.24 (after 1930)

1930 – A bloodless coup d'état in Brazil ends the First Republic, replacing it with the Vargas Era. 1931 – The George Washington Bridge opens to public traffic over the Hudson River. 1944 – World War II: Japan's center force is temporarily repulsed in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. 1945 – The United Nations Charter comes into effect. 1946 – A camera on board the V-2 No. 13 rocket takes the first photograph of earth from outer space. 1947 – Famed animator Walt Disney testifies before the House Un-American Activities Committee, naming Disney employees he believes to be communists. 1949 – The cornerstone of the United Nations Headquarters is laid. 1954 – US President Dwight D. Eisenhower pledges United States support to South Vietnam. 1957 – The United States Air Force starts the X-20 Dyna-Soar crewed space program. 1960 – Nedelin catastrophe: An R-16 ballistic missile explodes on the launch pad at the Soviet Union's Baikonur Cosmodrome space facility, killing over 100 people, including Field Marshal Mitrofan Nedelin. 1963 – An oxygen leak from an R-9 Desna missile at the Baikonur Cosmodrome triggers a fire that kills seven people. 1964 – Northern Rhodesia gains independence from the United Kingdom and becomes Zambia. 1975 – In Iceland, 90% of women take part in a national strike, refusing to work in protest of gender inequality. 1980 – The government of Poland legalizes the Solidarity trade union. 1986 – Nezar Hindawi is sentenced to 45 years in prison, the longest sentence handed down by a British court, for the attempted bombing of an El Al flight at Heathrow Airport. 1990 – Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti reveals to the Italian parliament the existence of Gladio, the Italian NATO force formed in 1956, intended to be activated in the event of a Warsaw Pact invasion. 1992 – The Toronto Blue Jays become the first Major League Baseball team based outside the United States to win the World Series. 1998 – Deep Space 1 is launched to explore the asteroid belt and test new spacecraft technologies. 2003 – Concorde makes its last commercial flight. 2004 – Arsenal Football Club loses to Manchester United, ending a row of unbeaten matches at 49 matches, which is the record in the Premier League. 2005 – Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in Florida, resulting in 35 direct and 26 indirect fatalities and causing $20.6B USD in damage. 2007 – Chang'e 1, the first satellite in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, is launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. 2008 – "Bloody Friday" saw many of the world's stock exchanges experience the worst declines in their history, with drops of around 10% in most indices. 2014 – The China National Space Administration launches an experimental lunar mission, Chang'e 5-T1, which will loop behind the Moon and return to Earth. 2015 – A driver crashes into the Oklahoma State Homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring 34. 2016 – A French surveillance aircraft flying to Libya crashes on takeoff in Malta, killing all five people on board.

#Events

[futuretonext]

The Global Space-Based 3D Printing Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 21.2% during the forecast period, i.e., 2023-28. The space industry across countries like the US, China, India, etc., has significantly expanded, which supported the market growth of space-based 3D printing. This expansion is the result of the surging interest of the countries in satellite deployments & space exploration programs. As a case in point, China’s National Space Administration has heightened its focus on lunar exploration, Mars missions, etc.

#Global Space-Based 3D Printing Market #Global Space-Based 3D Printing Market News #Global Space-Based 3D Printing Market growth

[hobbyspacer]

Videos: “Space to Ground” & other space habitat reports - Oct.3.2023

This week's selection of videos about space stations and living in space including NASA's latest Space to Ground report for the International Space Station: https://youtu.be/ut_MQc4ecRA ** Soyuz MS-23 International Space Station Hatch Closing - Sept. 27, 2023 - NASA Video NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin gave farewell remarks ahead of hatch closure of the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft on September 27. Following hatch closure, the spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station’s Prichal module, returning to Earth a few hours later for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan. During his mission, Rubio broke the record for longest single spaceflight for a U.S. astronaut spending 371 consecutive days living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program. . https://youtu.be/SF8__0ufzDo ** Soyuz MS-23 International Space Station Undocking - Sept. 27, 2023 - NASA Video NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin gave farewell remarks ahead of hatch closure of the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft on September 27. Following hatch closure, the spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station’s Prichal module, returning to Earth a few hours later for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan. During his mission, Rubio broke the record for longest single spaceflight for a U.S. astronaut spending 371 consecutive days living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.  https://youtu.be/RmpqGk8jnNk ** Astronaut Andreas Mogensen Talks with Herning, Denmark DI Business Summit - Sept. 28, 2023 - NASA Video Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 69 Flight Engineer and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogenson discussed living and working in space during an in-flight interview September 28 with industry stakeholders in Denmark. Mogenson launched in August on the SpaceX Dragon “Endurance” as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 which is a science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions. https://youtu.be/jnJweZRnMgs ** Sierra Space | A Leading Pureplay Commercial Space Company - Sierra Space Sierra Space is a leading, pureplay commercial space company at the forefront of innovation and the commercialization of space in the Orbital Age™, building an end-to-end business and technology platform in space to benefit life on Earth. With more than 30 years and 500 missions of space flight heritage, the company is enabling the future of space transportation with Dream Chaser®, the world’s only commercial spaceplane, and is bringing LIFE™ (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) to Low Earth Orbit with its modular, three-story commercial habitation and science platform. Sierra Space also builds and delivers a host of systems and subsystems across solar power, mechanics and motion control, environmental control, life support, propulsion and thermal control, offering myriad space-as-a-service solutions for the new space economy. https://youtu.be/xfBex09190M ** See the Chinese space station assembly in animation & ground photos - VideoFromSpace Watch the Tiangong space station assembly in this time-lapse animation along taken by satellites in orbit. Full Story: https://www.space.com/china-space-sta... https://youtu.be/2-l3dr8P9Cg ** Keynote: Gateway: Humanity’s First Lunar Space Station - Policy Studies Organization A talk by Sean Fuller, international partner manager for NASA's Gateway lunar orbital station program. https://youtu.be/NIGCNUZVhtk ** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) - NASA Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed. The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It's a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8 Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov https://www.youtube.com/live/xAieE-QtOeM?feature=share ====

ISS after undocking of STS-132 === Amazon Ads === Lego Ideas International Space Station 21321 Toy Blocks, Present, Space, Boys, Girls, Ages 16 and Up  ==== Outpost in Orbit: A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station  Read the full article